Roth's book is visceral in that the violence is graphic and yet it is contrasted by the delicate description of other moments of touch, affection, orRoth's book is visceral in that the violence is graphic and yet it is contrasted by the delicate description of other moments of touch, affection, or body awareness. If it connects with young readers she must be on to something about the need for body expression. Yet, it doesn't stop there. The main intrigue of her plot comes from the futuristic social division based on virtues - their praise and distortion. Books that treat virtue always seem to rise to a different level. Good for her, it adds good substance to a story line that pumps along. ...more

wonderful writing. Subtle, with a delicate irony. Berry insists from the beginning that this is a story, so don't look for a point. Still, the narratowonderful writing. Subtle, with a delicate irony. Berry insists from the beginning that this is a story, so don't look for a point. Still, the narrator describes the life of this small town set against the rapid development of american society. His point of view ranges from the simple commentator of town life to the old soul commentator on the meaning of all things. The book left me in tears while finishing my expensive coffee at Starbucks. The narrator wouldn't approve but what can I do? I am a sentimental hipster....more

Superb. It's good story telling, real life, and the unfolding of the Ted's acting career. I was immersed in the narrative, entertained, heart broken,Superb. It's good story telling, real life, and the unfolding of the Ted's acting career. I was immersed in the narrative, entertained, heart broken, and floored most of all by his honesty. The book is a window into Swartz's soul. And its also really funny!...more

My first Shakespeare in quite awhile. The vocabulary is so wild - lots of unfamiliar words, phrases, and expressions. It challenging to understand butMy first Shakespeare in quite awhile. The vocabulary is so wild - lots of unfamiliar words, phrases, and expressions. It challenging to understand but it also has me wondering what he does with the words. I am sure I missing lots of subtlety. Oh well, this isn't book specific. One fun tidbit is that he writes "tut" for the sound that you make when you click your teeth. An aveolar click. Interesting that an expression like that has been around so long. ...more

Definitely funny with a few hilarious vignettes, especially where he learns how to fly. Unfortunately the narrative got a bit out of control and had mDefinitely funny with a few hilarious vignettes, especially where he learns how to fly. Unfortunately the narrative got a bit out of control and had me wondering when the confusing story would just end. This one wasn't as tight as the first two. ...more

St. Antony/Anthony of the desert takes the cake for the ascetic life. Not only was he radical in his way of life but he was incredibly influential. ThSt. Antony/Anthony of the desert takes the cake for the ascetic life. Not only was he radical in his way of life but he was incredibly influential. There were some Christian crazies who may have been revered from a distance, but Antony was a man fully in love with God and he brought others close to God. And all he wanted was to live as a Christian hermit in the desert. The book gives a list of quotes from the time period 300's - 400's. Every significant theologian of the time refers to Antony in a way that marvels at his authentic Christian life. And again, it was undoubtedly radical. I thoroughly enjoyed putting myself in Antony's shoes to try to understand his radical devotion.

Also, since I got the book from Egypt. I think I'm the only one in the US who has a copy. Yay. But the life of St. Anthony should be easily available online. His biography was written by Athanasius of Alexandria in the year after he died in 356. ...more

Really hilarious monty pythonesque humor and storytelling. I loved it and can't believe I haven't read it already. Though thirty years old it still reReally hilarious monty pythonesque humor and storytelling. I loved it and can't believe I haven't read it already. Though thirty years old it still read very current and the ideas are quite fresh. The paranoid android is brilliant. How about the computer "deep thought" which became the namesake of a IBM computer used to play chess not to long ago?...more

Set in post war Germany, Schlink uses an illicit romance to access the difficult moral analysis of the actions of those involved in the Nazi programmeSet in post war Germany, Schlink uses an illicit romance to access the difficult moral analysis of the actions of those involved in the Nazi programme. It's really hard to tell if the relationship actually contributes to the book's intended project or if it just screams buy me and make me into a steamy movie. Ok no it's not hard to tell. It's the latter....more

A marvelous work indeed. Herbert has an unpretentious style that makes a complicated world seem so accessible. The constant and subtle character analyA marvelous work indeed. Herbert has an unpretentious style that makes a complicated world seem so accessible. The constant and subtle character analysis is as driving as the plot development. At several points in the book his creativity is ingenuous. Couldn't help but feel that the end collapsed on itself a bit. Regardless, an excellent read....more

Stephenson and Scalzi have a new friend. For a first book, Cline knocks it out of the park. In fact, it is so polished that it scared me a little. HeStephenson and Scalzi have a new friend. For a first book, Cline knocks it out of the park. In fact, it is so polished that it scared me a little. He fills in his fictional world to the nth degree. Wonderfully nerdy and immersive fiction. I was captivated, convinced, and laughing out loud multiple times....more

Yay, my second spanish book. It only took me four months to read it. I could only handle a few pages a day, but it gave me the sense of following AnneYay, my second spanish book. It only took me four months to read it. I could only handle a few pages a day, but it gave me the sense of following Anne through the two years. What a beautiful and articulate person....more

Can't resist to read a free book on my Nexus. Supernatural fiction isn't usually my thing but I did enjoy this one. The horror of the story plays outCan't resist to read a free book on my Nexus. Supernatural fiction isn't usually my thing but I did enjoy this one. The horror of the story plays out against the absolute politeness and virtue of friendships... as we should expect from over 100 years ago. I wonder how much Stoker intends to explore the nature of fallen angels. I was also a bit confounded about the Christian underpinnings of the book. I wonder if it is genuine or if Stoker is contriving it to make it palatable to the readers of the day. It's also quite interesting to note that Dracula is defeated by the use of the Eucharist, although hardly acceptable what is actually done. I suspect that modern vampire stories have dropped this detail.

Loved it. Mark Twain is delightful to read. There is a certain crispness to his writing that is refreshing. Huckleberry isn't the most elegant of hisLoved it. Mark Twain is delightful to read. There is a certain crispness to his writing that is refreshing. Huckleberry isn't the most elegant of his writing but the vignettes are hilarious and quite insightful. It's a fascinating time piece and yet still so true with regard to people and mischievous boys....more

My first Kindle read, which was not bad at all. This book is such a delight to read especially for its vocabulary. It reads well out loud and with a BMy first Kindle read, which was not bad at all. This book is such a delight to read especially for its vocabulary. It reads well out loud and with a British accent. The setting is almost outlandish in terms of today's mindset, but if you can accept the parameters of shame, guilt, and a social moral climate then the book really gives access to the human soul. Perhaps that made the book even more refreshing to me. We live in a time where the ethos is so intangible in many ways. To see the boundaries of life clearly is quite revealing. In spite of the deep suffering in the book, there is great humanity and great redemption....more

Very large and also quite tome-ish, though the book was not hard at all to get through. He has wonderful mastery of the details and knows how to preseVery large and also quite tome-ish, though the book was not hard at all to get through. He has wonderful mastery of the details and knows how to present the human drama in the midst of all of the historical mish mash. Its a fascinating story about the canal that starts with the initial extremely difficult explorations of Panama. The French are the first to undertake the project though ultimately it shifts into American hands. The undertaking was the largest of its kind to that date in history. The proportions of labor, planning, and construction are absolutely phenomenal. All of the social commentary about America, about the history of Panama, about race relations, and about the great leaders heading up a magnanimous project come together in a well woven story by McCullough. ...more

My first novel in Spanish, and a powerful novel. Ana Ras is a hispanic author who wanted to write about the situation of women leaving their childrenMy first novel in Spanish, and a powerful novel. Ana Ras is a hispanic author who wanted to write about the situation of women leaving their children in Latin America to come to the States, work, and send back money. So she recreated the journey herself, by going to Latin America and train hopping to the US and interviewing people along the way. She met a boy along the way and therefore tells his story woven to hers. Lots of hope and horror in the setting of this book, which is a situation not all that uncommon in the US....more

Love Scalzi, but this one fell a little short for me. Nobody told me that its about war. Except the title I guess. And war is really more of a substraLove Scalzi, but this one fell a little short for me. Nobody told me that its about war. Except the title I guess. And war is really more of a substrate for him to explore a number of different futuristic scientific and social ideas, like a war video game as a construct to explore sweet game play mechanics. I can see the roots of some more stellar writing to come. ...more

Wow Wow Wow. Stephenson is a real master of description. His powers seem to go on and on. The book is delicious and also very large. I put it down forWow Wow Wow. Stephenson is a real master of description. His powers seem to go on and on. The book is delicious and also very large. I put it down for many months but was able to pick it right back up at any time, which is to me a telltale of a good writer. Strong characters, a journey across the world and through time, and an impressively nerdy outlook on things with the whole idea of code and code-breaking. I have a technical mind and much was beyond me, but it made the book no less enjoyable. Not as prophetic as Snow Crash but some different philosophical gems came out from time to time.

Stephenson's vocabulary is unreal and sentence writing is impeccable, even when forming paragraph-long sentences. I can't say that the book followed a typical climax and denouement, but rather undulated across a variety of stories and keen moments. Truly an enjoyable read....more

Russell has such a neat writing craft. And she breaks rules in such graceful ways. The story follows a middle-aged English teacher coming into her ownRussell has such a neat writing craft. And she breaks rules in such graceful ways. The story follows a middle-aged English teacher coming into her own in the 1920's during a trip to Africa and the Middle East. The storyline didn't resonate with me as much as it might with others, but her craft was so enjoyable to read....more

I'm really excited about this one. Palmer's main project in translating the psalms is to capture and to translate the poetry of the psalms. That is anI'm really excited about this one. Palmer's main project in translating the psalms is to capture and to translate the poetry of the psalms. That is an excellent venture in my opinion. But he translates primarily from a Hebrew frame of mind, rather than a Christian reading the Psalms. I really appreciate his attempt to be faithful to the poetry of the Psalms, both in form and content. Additionally, the notes are stellar....more

Guess I stray from the crowds on rating this one. Was hoping I could up it to 3 stars being Week's second book. I think the first half had some good mGuess I stray from the crowds on rating this one. Was hoping I could up it to 3 stars being Week's second book. I think the first half had some good movement and development to it. But once again the point of view is unclear. Weeks seems to write his own thoughts onto the page, which is meta and all, but its distracting. Its as if he doesn't trust the characters and story to do the job so he has to chime in at times. At points it goes beyond chiming in and his own personality seems to be yelling through the characters. Ok, you have strong feelings about this...so why does the character? Nonetheless, the fiction gets shoddy and uninteresting when authors become characters.

As for the religous worldview of the book...make up your mind fool! There never a clear cosmology put forth. You just find out that there are gods, there is The God, there is the Godking, and there is a witch who is a god. And there are lots of obvious christian references that weeks tries to pass off as author creativity. All of this thought and energy went into creating this elaborate fictional world, and yet the religion seems to be an afterthought. It feels inconsistent. Its fiction. Make something up! ...more

Week's first book. Assasins, kingdoms, magic, swords. Decent characters. Good creativity in the plot at times. It held me enough to finish it, but I mWeek's first book. Assasins, kingdoms, magic, swords. Decent characters. Good creativity in the plot at times. It held me enough to finish it, but I must admit it's a mess. The writing is often clumsy. There is a huge list of jargon that Weeks is in no hurry to explain, and some he never does. The setting is fictional and seemingly timeless, but some an occasional word is terribly out of place. A martial artist was described as lean, powerful, and athletic. Athletic?

The narrator seems to be schizophrenic, changing roles at times...almost like he's talking to the characters in the book. I suspect that Week's himself is simply too present in the book. It forces the characters to do and say things that just don't fit.

I guess its almost fun to read because it is so bad, and because its his first book. I'm even going to check out the second in the series....more